The Taste of Empire - How Britain's Quest for Food Shaped the Modern World (Lizzie Collingham, 2017)

(276 pages)

I had much enjoyed another one of the author's books - that earlier one focused moreso on Indian food and its evolution via British influence - so gave this one a shot.  I liked it quite a bit, though not quite sure of the takeaway. I think the main perspective was that globally-shipped, high-efficiency (in growing) food items were gaining sway a lot earlier than I would have realized.

A cool device was providing a recipe at the beginning of each chapter to anchor the development of key ingredients.

Gemini's summary:

In The Taste of Empire, Lizzie Collingham provides a comprehensive historical analysis of how the British Empire was shaped by the fundamental human need for food. Moving away from traditional political or military narratives, Collingham argues that the empire was essentially a vast global food system, driven by the necessity of feeding a growing domestic population and the commercial desire for new commodities.

The book explores the intricate "web of trade" that connected distant corners of the globe:

Commercial Expansion: It details how the pursuit of stable food sources, such as North Atlantic cod and Caribbean sugar, laid the groundwork for early colonial infrastructure.

Logistical Innovation: Collingham highlights the incredible organizational feats required to transport perishable goods across oceans, which spurred advancements in shipping, preservation, and global finance.

Cultural Exchange: The narrative shows how the British palate became "internationalized," adopting products like tea from China and spices from India, while simultaneously introducing European farming techniques and crops to the Americas and Australia.

While the book acknowledges the disruptions caused by these shifts—such as the transition from local subsistence to export-based economies—its primary focus is on the interconnectivity of the imperial era. Collingham illustrates how the modern globalized food market, characterized by the year-round availability of diverse ingredients, is the direct descendant of this historical British mercantile network.

Curry - A Tale of Cooks & Conquerors (Lizzie Collingham, 2006)

Book club selection (via me; session held September 8, 2016).

I'm trying to form a baseline way of thinking about India; given complexity, will need many perspectives; thought this perspective might help; I think it did.  The author - British - pretty clearly did lots of research on "Indian" food.  She also provides useful historical context around culinary developments.  Did her British origins somehow disqualify her from writing this?  Seems not (and Rose and Dharma didn't think so).

As for the author's descriptions of Indian food - I have had virtually no exposure whatever to this cuisine - couldn't even really say what a "curry" was.  With so little background knowledge, the book's passages about food were interesting to me but rather mysterious - I read through them pretty cursorily.

As to actually eating the stuff - Dharma and Chris ordered and picked up a quite fine array of Indian foods from some restaurant up on Bell Road - I didn't really expect to care for it - wrong again, everything was really good and I'll happily repeat the experience.  There was a ton of food and very little remained at end-of-session, so it seems I wasn't the only one liked it. Also lassi, and Kingfisher beers (plus India pale ale courtesy PJr).

Really interesting and useful discussions about the factors affecting food in the area through the centuries.  Mughals; Persians; food items from the new world via Portugal; wide-ranging influence of British (including a vigorous marketing campaign that convinced Indians across the country to drink tea). Interesting stories about Brits posted to India; how they first used Indian ingredients, then focused on copying British fashion (and foods).  Longstanding tradition of vegetarianism; no beef or no pork depending on religion; castes; clean/unclean - complicated!  Mentioned Gandhi's struggles with food, as recounted in this so-interesting biography; mentioned how food vendors at train stations unwittingly reinforced Hindu/Muslim divisions (one of many factors however).

Good discussions of Indian food as served outside India - variances make their way back to India - items originating outside India become widely thought of as "Indian" food.  Syhletis - from Bangladesh area - operate incredibly high percentage of the "Indian" restaurants outside India (at least in Britain and US).

Very good reminder that one should use the term "authentic" with great humility when describing any of these dishes!  (Probably applies to dishes from other countries as well.)

India - so large geographically, such a large population, such a long history - seems that it tolerates invaders over the centuries - picks up things it finds useful, waits out the invaders, ends up changing them more than vice versa.